The Florida High School Athletic Association’s baseball advisory committee meeting on Monday, June 5, 2017 saw coaches request for a best-of-three format change to the first three playoff rounds. Courtesy of FHSAA

The Florida High School Athletic Association’s baseball advisory committee meeting on Monday, June 5, 2017 saw coaches request for a best-of-three format change to the first three playoff rounds. Courtesy of FHSAA

FHSAA baseball coaches want playoff format change

Baseball coaches made their voices heard at Monday’s Florida High School Athletic Association advisory committee meeting for the sport.

The FHSAA state baseball championships concluded the 2016-17 season, and Monday’s meeting was the first one to address potential changes for future seasons. The committee discussed the region playoff format, pitch count policy and game ending procedures.

But among the three topics, the main change that was recommended was the region playoff format. FHSAA advisory commitee member Eric Entrekin recommended changing the first three rounds of the state playoffs to a best-of-three format, according to the FHSAA’s Twitter feed.

#FHSAA ⚾️ Advisory Committee member Eric Entrekin recommends changing the Regional playoff format to Best of Three series.

The FHSAA previously tinkered with region championships as a best-of-three series, but that two-year experiment ended after the 2008-09 season as concerns about travel and weather persisted.

Despite the aforementioned concerns, coaches recommended to change the baseball playoff format to a best-of-three format for the first three rounds. The next step in the process is the athletic director’s advisory committee meeting, which is scheduled for the fall.

The FHSAA also announced its Hall of Fame class on Monday. And another year passes without Eddie Shannon’s inclusion. The legendary local sports icon and former Lincoln High head football coach who broke up riots at Manatee High School in a post-integration Manatee County school system, is often on the sidelines during Hurricane football games in the fall.

This year’s class, the 27th overall in the FHSAA’s Hall of Fame, includes: former Cocoa High student-athlete Vassar Carlton, former Hernando County coach Ernie Chatman, Palm Beach County football official David Jarrett, Naples High head football coach Bill Kramer, Crestview baseball umpire Michael Parks, football coach Mike Pittman, Miami Gulliver Prep softball coach Mark Schusterman and Venice High volleyball coach Brian Wheatley.

Pittman was the first to lead a school to four straight state football championships in Florida history when he coached Suwanee High.